Once inside the door, Archer looked quickly all around the room, noting the sonic generator in its place on the dresser, the pouch of jewels, the drinking-glass with its murky little residue of khall. Then he gestured to the doorseal that Gardner had replaced on the inside of the door.
“Do we need that here?”
“It protects us,” Gardner said. “I keep it up all the time.”
“I’d appreciate it if you’d remove it while I’m here,” Archer said. He shivered lightly and looked shame-faced. “It’s… ah—a sort of phobia of mine. Modified claustro, you see.”
Gardner shrugged. “I guess we’ll be safe enough in here without it.”
He hid the generator and the jewel pouch carefully in the closet, then removed the seal from the room door and affixed it over the closet door. Archer’s request struck him as curious; the man seemed too ordinary, too washed-out. to have any Dhobias. But it was his right as a guest to ask for the seal’s removal, and Gardner saw no point in insisting on keeping it there.
“I’d offer you a drink,” Gardner said, “but there isn’t any left.”
Archer flicked a glance at the drinking glass on the table. He said softly, “You needn’t worry. I never touch alcohol.”
“You’re a wise man,” Gardner said. He leaned forward, “Now, then. You’ve arrived a week early. May I ask how come? Also why you’re here, instead of at your assigned post?”
“May I speak freely in here about the nature of… ah… the project?” Archer asked, eyeing the dirty walls furtively.
“If you must,” said Gardner. “I’ve checked for spy devices. This room’s safe, unless there are some ears in the hallway. Wait.”
He rose and rapidly crossed the room, yanking the door open. The corridor outside was deserted. And there had not been time for any eavesdroppers outside the door to have hidden themselves.
Gardner closed the door. “It looks clear. Say what you want to say.”
Archer folded his legs and tapped the suitcase he had carried with him.
“My generator is in here. Yours, I think, is in that closet. Are all five members of the team here on Lurion now?”
“Look at your indicator band!” Gardner said, surprised at the question.
“Of course.” Archer laughed hollowly. “All five are here, aren’t they? Now, my instructions from Earth Central require me to have a full recapitulation of the nature of our mission from your lips before we can act.”
“What the hell for?” Gardner asked, bristling. “Just to give my mouth some exercise?”
Archer smiled apologetically, holding up one hand to stay Gardner’s outburst. “As, pardon me, a check on your stability.”
“What?”
“Karnes has had some misgivings about you. The computer has been called into use again. It revealed that your attitude was likely to deteriorate progressively, and that if we waited the allotted three weeks of the project, the probability was high that you would no longer be capable of carrying out your part.”
Gardner’s jaws tightened. What Archer was saying cut deep. “So you were sent early because they wanted to get the project taken care of before I blow my trolley completely, eh?”
Archer shrugged. “It was thought advisable to speed up (he schedule. And now I must have a complete verification of your comprehension of the project.”
Still simmering, although everything Archer had said so far had the ring of truth, Gardner muttered, “What do you want me to tell you?”
“A recapitulation of the nature of our mission,” Archer said.
“Okay. Here’s your summary: we’ve been sent here as a team with the assignment”—Gardner lowered his voice—“of destroying Lurion. It takes five of us to do it, each equipped with a sonic generator that will set up a resonating vibratory pattern when tuned in at the proper geographic locality. I’m in charge.”
“Who picked you for the job?”
“Karnes. Chief of Security at Earth Central. I was picked with the aid of the computer, of course.”
Archer nodded. As if rehearsing a catechism, he asked, “And why is it considered necessary to destroy Lurion?”
“Computer prognostics have it that militaristic forces on Lurion will organize and launch a destructive attack on Earth some time within the next two generations or so. We have to strike first.”
Archer sat back, smiling quietly. “All right. You’ve got it all down well enough. Just one thing remains to be settled.”
“Which is?”
“Are you willing to carry out your share of the assignment?”
Gardner was silent a moment, staring at the bland face opposite him. He moistened his lips.
“Yes,” he said finally. “I’m ready and willing.”
“Okay, then. I guess we can proceed.”
“I’ve passed the test?”
“You have. And now you’re in charge again. When’s the event due to take place?”
“As soon as you get up north where you belong,” Gardner said. “There’s no other reason for delay, now. Give me a call when you reach your assigned position, and I’ll transmit the initiating signal.” Gardner realized now that he had no more doubts, no hesitation whatever about bringing the project to its culmination.
“Very well, then. Now that we’ve got everything cleared up, I’ll leave at once,” Archer said. He rose, tugging his jacket-snaps together and sealing them. Gardner watched him, brows furrowed.
The visi-screen chimed again, the long-distance chime this time.
Gardner activated it and a round, bearded face appeared; it was that of Kully Leopold, the only member of the team Gardner had yet to hear from.
“I guess I’ll be going now,” Archer said, a little hurriedly.
“Stick around,” Gardner told him. “Let’s both hear what our friend Leopold has to say.” He returned his attention to the visi-screen. “You are Kully Leopold, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. And I wanted to find out whether there’s been any change in—Heyl He’s leaving!”
Gardner whirled and was surprised to see Damon Archer, suitcase in hand, fumbling annoyedly with the intricate Lurioni doorlatch. A’ number of seemingly irrelevant but actually interrelated facts suddenly fit themselves together in Gardner’s mind. -
“Where are you going, Archer?” he demanded.
“I’m—” Archer got the door open at last and, without bothering to finish the sentence, started to slip out.
Chapter XI
Gardner moved rapidly. He jumped forward, getting between the door and its jamb before Archer could slam it in his face. Reaching out into the hallway, he grabbed the fleeing Archer by the shoulder and spun him back into the room; the door slammed shut.
“What’s your hurry?” Gardner demanded. “I told you to stick around.”
Instead of answering, Archer crashed a fist into Gardner’s midsection. Gardner gasped and doubled up, but as Archer confidently brought his fist round for another blow, Gardner grabbed it suddenly, pivoted, and flipped Archer over his shoulder.
The thin man shot backward, landing heavily against the wall with a sharp crack. He scrabbled to his feet, but by that time Gardner was on top of him. Archer’s eyes were glaring desperately; his mild face had come to life in a startling way. He strained to roll over, clawed at Gardner’s arms, tried to force the weight of the heavier man off him.
He succeeded. Archer was thin, but he seemed to have the tensile strength of beryllium steel. He forced Gardner off him, and then sprang up. Archer was quick on his feet. He ducked back and lunged at Gardner. Gardner left his guard open, rolled with a soft punch under the heart, and sent Archer rocking backward toward the wall with a stiff jolt to the chin.